Saiasi Verevodi Qiokata jailed with immediate parole for assault

A rugby player who “coward-punched” former NRL player Treymain Spry over a love triangle dispute was lucky not to have killed him, a court has heard.

Qiokata was sentenced to one year’s jail with immediate parole and 240 hours of community service.

A rugby player who “coward-punched” former NRL young gun Treymain Spry over a love triangle dispute was lucky not to have killed him, a court has heard.

Saiasi Verevodi Qiokata, 23, was today jailed for a year with immediate parole after pleading guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while intoxicated.

Disturbing footage played in Brisbane Magistrates Court showed Qiokata blindsiding Spry with a punch in Fortitude Valley that saw him knocked immediately unconscious.

Saiasi Verevodi Qiokata outside court

“You are fortunate he wasn’t killed,” Magistrate Peter Saggers told Qiokata who first moved to Australia in 2019 to play in Queensland’s Hospital Cup rugby competition.

“He didn’t even stagger, such was the punch it dropped him immediately.”

Crown prosecutor Amy Changuion said Spry suffered a fractured skull and a blood clot with bleeding and bruising on the front of his brain.

The Tweed Head Seagulls player, who debuted in the NRL with five games for the Gold Coast Titans in 2020, spent 10 days in hospital undergoing conservative treatment.

The court heard Qiokata, who had no criminal record, was in a relationship with Spry’s ex-partner at the time of the incident.

During the early hours of March 6 last year both men were in the Valley when Qiokata approached Spry and told him to stop allegedly harassing his girlfriend and threw a punch that did not connect.

Spry returned a punch but that also did not connect and Qiokata was pulled away and walked off, the court heard.

Former Gold Coast Titans player Treymain Spry in hospital after he was viciously attacked.

Qiokata then turned around and saw one of his friends being approached by Spry who threw a punch that did not land.

Qiokata ran back and coward punched Spry knocking him out cold, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement Spry said the attack had left him physically and emotionally harmed and it had affected his footy.

Ms Changuion said it was “extremely aggravating” that Qiotaka returned to the fight and “blindsided” Spry before walking off without offering any assistance.

“The fight was initiated by the defendant, the punch is a serious act of public violence, it was completely excessive in the circumstances,” she said.

Spry in action for the Gold Coast Titans in 2020

Qiokata was initially charged with grievous bodily harm but this was downgraded on the medical evidence, the court heard.

Qiokata’s lawyer Michael Cridland said his client was remorseful to Spry and the community.

“He regrets approaching the complainant and causing the serious injury,” he said.

“He should never have returned (to the fight) but he did … and acted excessively and used excessive force.”

Mr Cridland said his client was operating under the impression that his partner was allegedly being harassed by Spry.

But Ms Changuion argued that could make the offending worse as retribution could be seen as a motivating factor.

The court heard Qiokata, who is a New Zealand and Fijian citizen, had seen a psychologist and character references painted an otherwise quiet person, “genial in nature” who contributed to the community.

Magistrate Peter Saggers said Qiokata was entitled to intervene in the fight between Spry and his friend but not in the way he did.

“The way in which you intervened could have had catastrophic consequences,” he said.

“You threw the punch in circumstances where Spry could not have seen it coming.

“It‘s in those circumstances where the events regularly become catastrophic, where people are killed or suffer irreparable injury.”

Mr Saggers said young men must understand penalties for this behaviour will be harsh.

“They must understand if you behave in this way you risk going into actual custody,” he said.

Qiokata was sentenced to one year’s jail but with immediate parole and ordered to carry out 240 hours of community service.

He ordered Qiokata pay $1100 in compensation to Spry which he had offered.

Mr Saggers gave a stern warning to Qiokata to stay out of any future feuding between the parties, which the court heard was ongoing.